Muken-Ryu
|number= |user= Shinoda Clan }} Muken-Ryu (無拳流, lit. "Fist of the Void style") is a style of martial arts utilized by members of the Shinoda Clan. It is based off of the primary ability to manipulate and vibrate , the spiritual atoms that make up the bodies of souls, objects and structures of and . Though its roots lie in this famed ability, it has grown and evolved to encompass multiple fighting styles, philosophies, and martial art principles that make it one of the most feared style of the modern age. History Muken-Ryu's first practitioner was the Quincy : Strahd von Zarovich, one of the original twenty-five under . He is best known for his invention: the , a sword that doubles as an arrow that vibrates millions of times a second. As epitomized by his invention, Strahd made popular the concept of using rapidly-vibrating Reishi to loosen the Reishi bonds of spiritual beings, objects and structures. In the current age this combat application is used to capture the loosened Reishi in order to empower the user and his or her abilities, however, it's original intentions was to deal both external and internal damage, finding 'Breaking Points' on a soul or object and then striking them to destroy its foundation and framework. This brutal Breaking Point-targeting style led to Strahd killing more than his fare share of foes during the first Shinigami-Quincy Bloodwar. Even a , the famed weapons of the Shinigami, cannot easily withstand multiple strikes to their Breaking Points. Though Strahd created the basis of Muken-Ryu, the style as it is known today is largely attributed to his first student, a young woman known by the name of Taiyohime Shinoda. Taiyohime was the first head of the secretive Shinoda Clan and the daughter of Strahd's partner: the former Sternritter "E", Marielle Schrödinger. Being one of the first, if not the first Hybrid in existence, Taiyohime's unique bloodline granted her both the power and potential to reach the fabled heights of a of the original . With both parents being trained combatants, and receiving the direct tutorship of Strahd, her abilities blossomed. Of all her talents, none were as powerful as her ability to manipulate Reishi, providing immense synergy and utility to her hand-to-hand combat style. Within the first few years of her training, Taiyohime mastered the framework created by Strahd. Even after this feat, her training never truly ended, as learning both massive libraries of Quincy and Shinigami abilities took centuries. Overtime the first Shinoda Head grew into a powerful warrior of her own right. As she continued to shine brighter and brighter, and as her clan began to gather more and more members, the flow of martial knowledge increased. Through this flow, Taiyohime realized that though she was a powerful warrior, the Breaking Point style she learned had one gaping flaw; While useful against Reishi constructed Quincy abilities, abilities born from and Shinigami are nearly immune. This particular weakness was exploited against Taiyohime in a battle during the winter of 759 BAD. In a gruesome fight against an , her attempts to use the Breaking Point technique fell short when faced against abilities with no physical form. In this fight, she learned that her combat style was ineffective against techniques such as an Arrancar's cero, and even a Shinigami's . Taiyohime reasoned, that this was due to the fact that these abilities were not made of Reishi but of . Knowing that using such a method of fighting could end up costing her life one day, she began to search for new ways of becoming stronger. Taiyohime's life was saved that day by a man named Kotsuzui Shinoda, a legendary Grandmaster of Hakuda. Kotsuzui was a man born and raised in the who choose the path of a wanderer as opposed to that of the Shinigami. By offering his own repertoire of techniques, he is credited for helping enhance the Breaking Point style to create the Muken-Ryu it is today. Additionally, it was his offer to assist the young Taiyohime that led to his induction into the Shinoda clan. Seeing the young soul in need of a guard that can venture Soul Society with her, he joined the Shinoda clan and became her guardian. Kotsuzui's knowledge coincided along with the philosophies and old-world religions that are deeply rooted in his martial art forms. In particular, the flow of Chi (known in the Spiritual World as Reiryoku) from the martial art style Tai-Chi, the empty ego of Karate, and the Taoist-born art of Baguazhang became the three pillars of the modern day Muken-Ryu. In order, Kotsuzui demonstrated all three styles to Taiyohime before giving her a lifetime's worth of knowledge in hand-written scrolls. These scrolls taught her the core tenets and history of Tai-chi, Karate and Baguazhang. For the next twenty years, Taiyohime devoted her time studying these styles relentlessly, and for eight hours every single day she trained tirelessly with Kotsuzui. In a demonstration to the entire Shinoda clan on the summer of 739 BAD, Taiyohime displayed the power of her new Muken-Ryu Taijutsu (体術, lit. "Body skill") by masterfully incorporating all three styles in combat. Beginning with Tai-chi, as Taiyohime trained under its multiple disciplines, she began to understand the effectiveness of counter-attacking and redirecting an opponents force back at them. By applying these principles to her ability to manipulate Reishi and Reiryoku, she learned how to manipulate the oncoming spiritual attacks of her foes. As famously quoted in Nisshutsu (日出, Sunrise), a biography of Taiyohime's life, her poetry and teachings, "Be it arrow, Kidō, or even cero, no force shall ever hinder me again." This was proven when, during the demonstration, she prompted Strahd to fire a spell at her and with just her bare hands, Taiyohime redirected it upwards into the sky. The second style, Karate, was adopted in a different way. From it, Taiyohime learned the value of restraint. By emptying her ego, she allowed the Muken-Ryu to become a style of combat that cannot be read. Those who master Muken-Ryu do not have so much as a stray twitch in any muscle of their body; they must completely master themselves in order to use the Void Fist to its full potential. She came to understand the value of discarding hesitation, and that every battle must end as soon as possible. Although Tai-Chi works by breaking the enemy with their own force, by applying her own additional unrestrained power to their redirected strikes, any battle can end in an instant. The popular martial arts principle of Ikken Hissatsu (一拳必殺, lit. "One hit, One kill") was integrated fully into Muken-Ryu. No member of the Shinoda clan that practices it is taught to use it for anything other than ending a fight. As quoted by Taiyohime in Nisshutsu, "A fight is the last resort between two people. It is done only to uphold your own ideals, so that you may continue to grow. Only fight when you must, and if you do, do not waste a single strike. Conflicts must end as soon as they've begun" This message has since become the core tenet of Muken-Ryu. Even though a practitioner of the art should only fight when needed, as members of the Shinoda clan they must never hesitate to do what must be done. While showing mercy is acceptable, Muken-Ryu should never allow for the opportunity of an enemy to retaliate. Because of this, the eight primary techniques are separated into both defensive and offensive classifications, and all eight are meant to either stop any possible attack through pure defense or through crushing force. The third and final style used to create Muken-Ryu is the Taoist art of Baguazhang. It was from this style that Muken-Ryu earned its "flavor," as Taiyohime described. Baguazhang, or the Eight Trigrams Palm, utilizes an area of influence based off of the Taoist teachings of Bagua. These trigrams (known as Earth, Mountain, Water, Wind, Thunder, Fire, Lake, and Heaven) form a circle around the user. Through the use of quick foot work that allows the practitioner to surround the target, the combatant uses his palms to strike in different ways to defeat his or her foe. Much like Tai-Chi, Baguazhang also emphasizes redirecting force back onto the target. Because of both of these styles, and the raw power of the Reishi flowing through the Quincy, Muken-Ryu does not allow for direct punches, kicks, elbows, or knees. In Nisshutsu, Taiyohime's graceful and indirect attacks offended a younger member of the Shinoda, Jōjō Shinoda. In an effort to prove her wrong, he attempted to channel the built-up force of the Muken into a kick in a demonstration to prove why she was wrong. This moment spawned the Shinoda saying "Though we are superb, never be Joujou" a pun off of Joujou's name which translates to superb. Needless to say, Joujou's actions led to the complete destruction of his right arm, providing a lesson to the other Shinoda as to why Taiyohime's methods were so important. Though these three styles created a martial art unique and powerful, it was the addition of Reishi and Reiryoku manipulation that has made it legendary. Only those with mastery in both these art forms can effectively use the Muken-Ryu. Furthermore, with a few exceptions, the style can only be mastered by those with Quincy blood. This is because of Strahd's own contributions to Muken-Ryu. His vibrating Reishi technique builds up tremendous amounts of stress on the limbs when used. This is why he targeted Breaking Points in the base style, because it was the only way to use a low amount of vibrations while still inflicting large amounts of damage. The Muken-Ryu, however, does not restrain the user's power. Therefore, those that use it must either reduce the strength of their techniques, have exceptionally hard bodies, sacrifice their own limbs to fight at full force, or use Blut Vene in order to protect themselves. But even with Blut Vene, the raw power of Muken-Ryu still cannot be directly controlled. The martial art utilizes slaps, guiding hand movements, graceful spins, and rapid circling around the opponent to build up momentum to guide Reishi and Reiryoku around them. Because of Blut Vene (or any other body-hardening techniques), they are able to then briefly pass the force through their bodies and into the opponent's own Breaking Points. Doing so allows them to create either perfect defenses or absolute kill techniques, but also means that extended use of Muken-Ryu, or improper use, is incredibly dangerous. Learning the art of Muken-Ryu was no easy task. Those who joined the Shinoda clan had to be taught how to properly manipulate Reishi and Reiryoku; however, as many of the new members of the house were not Quincy, their potentials were strikingly low. It was the addition of breathing exercises, through a method known as the Senen (淺燕, lit. "Shallow Swallow") method that allowed users to better sharpen their spiritual awareness. By stripping oneself of their senses, generally through meditating in a sound and light-proof pool underground, the soul in question is able to better hone their sixth, spiritual sense. With nothing but the mind's eye and soul to work with, they could become attune with the environment, and thus begin to use the power around them for their own purposes; nevertheless, no amount of practice with this method allows for a non-Quincy soul to ever become a master in Muken-Ryu. For Taiyohime, the founders, and certain other members of the clan, the Senen method boosted their power tremendously. It is the reason they are capable of manipulating the Reiryoku around them so skillfully. For others, the power of Muken-Ryu was altered and refined. Those unable to masterfully manipulate the power around them created the Kossetsu Muken-Ryu (骨折無拳流, lit "Bone-Fracturing Fist of the Void Style"). Kossetsu Muken-Ryu, unlike traditional Muken-Ryu, emphasises direct strikes charged with spiritual power. Muken-Ryu, as illustrated hitherto now, is considered incomplete by Taiyohime herself. Few have ever mastered the basic principles or taken it to a level that one can combat a Captain-class warrior; however, even the Captain-class still have powers beyond comprehension, such as . When Taiyohime, for various reasons, gave up ownership of the clan and began to travel the three realms, one of her many journeys led her to taking the Muken-Ryu to the next level. The young Shinoda hoped to elevate her clans martial art style to match the raw power of a Shinigami's Bankai or Quincy's . Doing so has taken almost the entire five centuries she has been traveling, as well as many encounters with some of the greatest and most mythical souls the world has ever known. Unbeknownst to and as demonstrated when Taiyohime defeated the Second Head of the Shinoda clan, Nikolai Rapustin, she has created the Muken Satorisoku-Ryu (無拳 悟り息流, lit. "Fist of the Void, Breath of Enlightenment Style"). Muken Satorisoku-Ryu is what Taiyohime considers now to be the true completion of her work almost eight hundred years ago. It's power is unrivaled by any other martial art, and is capable of even standing up against an opponent's Bankai. While the original Muken-Ryu involves guiding, circular movements to exploit Breaking Points, Muken Satorisoku-Ryu, which has only two named techniques, is far more direct. It emphasizes the space between two targets and treats it as a void filled with their hands and feet. In a more literal sense, it is saying that there is no distance between practitioner and target. Through directly manipulation and guiding of the Reishi, generally with a single breath, the master of Muken Satorisoku-Ryu can strike down the strongest opponents without moving from their position. The cost, however, is dear for the user. Though Taiyohime is the only practitioner of Muken Satorisoku-Ryu, she is very reluctant and usually unwilling to use this evolved style in combat. Even though there is a philosophical reason to this, there is a practical one as well. Learning Muken Satorisoku-Ryu requires the user to have not only immense amounts of spiritual power, but perfect control. One simple misbreath, twitch, or even a wound as minor as a scratch or bruise can ruin the rhythm of the manipulated Reishi and Reiryoku. Needless to say, this backlash will almost always prove fatal for the practitioner. The importance of breath stems from when Taiyohime, roughly two hundred years ago (225BAD) by her own admission, met an ascetic in the deeps of Rukongai. The old man wielded very little spiritual power, she says, and had very little martial prowess. However, his strength was beyond compare. With a single legendary breath, Taiyohime reports that he brought her to her knees without ever moving towards her. A second breath, Taiyohime elaborates, knocked her unconscious. When she awoke, the former Shinoda Head began to study under him for one hundred and fifty years. From him she learned that the art of breathing contains every movement a human can make. By applying this spiritually, and through constant meditation and sharpening her control over her immense spiritual power, Taiyohime came to realize that one inhale and one exhale was all it took to execute some of the most powerful abilities in her arsenal. By the time her century and a half of study ended, she had learned to replicate all Eight Trigrams of the Muken-Ryu through her breath, and has even created two more techniques that, with this ancient technique, far surpass the limits of the original Muken-Ryu. But as mentioned before, a single misbreath is all it takes for everything to go wrong. Muken Satorisoku-Ryu uses the breath to guide Reishi and Reiryoku in the air. That means that the practitioner's spiritual body is made the conduit for the force; however, instead of guiding the energy for them, they are riding the wave of Reiryoku and then letting go. Essentially, they are building up spiritual momentum and then letting it loose in one direction. If the breath is timed wrong, too shallow or too deep, or taken too quickly, the practitioner risks being lost in the same flow of energy they aim to release. When Muken Satorisoku-Ryu was still being formed and had yet to reach its apex, Taiyohime made this mistake once. The destruction it caused not only left her crippled for ten years, setting back her study, but also destroyed everything around her for more than a dozen miles. Needless to say, this has made Taiyohime wary when it comes to demonstrating the advanced style to any members of her clan, let alone teaching it to them. Despite the drawbacks, the Muken-Ryu and Muken Satorisoku-Ryu are both considered to be some of the most powerful fighting styles in all the three realms. Over the centuries they have defeated more than their fair share of foes, and has allowed the Shinoda clan to thrive for almost one thousand years in the face of constant conflict. Techniques Muken-Ryu Tenhottan no Mankan (天発端の干満, lit. "The Ebb and Flow of Heavenly Genesis"): Tenhottan no Mankan is the foundation of Muken-Ryu, born from the three martial arts that compose it applied to the spiritual realm. In essence, it is the Quincy's ability to manipulate and control Reishi and Reiryoku in their environment. Tenhottan no Mankan is a ritualistic method of doing so, designed to guide with the palms instead of attempting to exert mental dominance. There are eight different kata (or martial performances) that accompany the Tenhottan no Mankan. Each one showcases the graceful spins, guiding hand movements, and light, grazing attacks that Muken-Ryu emphasizes. When applied in battle, it creates a circle of influence around the user. Any spiritual substance--be it solid, liquid, or even gas--that enters this circle, which can extend up to eight meters for those that have mastered Muken-Ryu, can be guided away or redirected back onto its origin. Long-time practitioners of Tenhottan no Mankan are often serene and graceful when they move. Rare is it that they so much as twitch or flinch unless they desire it. This is because Tenhottan no Mankan teaches its users to attain complete control over their bodies; however, it is rare that such perfection is ever attained. leaving "cracks" in the air when using Muken. ]] Jinkei (神径, lit. "Godpath"): Jinkei is the name given to the Strahd's Breaking Points. Breaking Points are flaws in the fabric of Reishi constructs where an applied spiritual force can literally break the entire construct to pieces. In order to properly trigger these points, the practitioner must channel a vibrating push of Reishi into it, creating a chain reaction that leads to either extreme damage or complete destruction of whatever is struck. Most notably, Quincy and Zanpakutō are the perfect targets for Jinkei. The former, when struck, loses their ability to manipulate Reishi into their bodies, forcibly turning off their abilities. It can also destroy the vast majority of Ginto, bows, arrows, and other Quincy techniques made of Reishi. However, a Shinigami's Zanpakutō are stronger and more durable, but a solid strike to the kabuki--where the guard and blade meet--or multiple to the blade is often all it takes to shatter them. When used against a living body, the damage can be tremendous. A straight punch or kick to the Jinkei can rupture organs and cause internal bleeding. Given the abilities of Tenhottan no Mankan, the possibilities turn Strahd's original Breaking Points into localized bombs inside the opponent's body. High-level practitioners of Jinkei find that their strikes and techniques leave cracks throughout the air. This is the result of large amounts of Reishi and Reiryoku being guided in a certain direction under the influence of Jinkei, literally shattering the atmosphere along with anything struck. Combined with Tenhottan no Manken, Jinkei is the foundation of Muken-Ryu's spiritual applications. Tsuchi no Rei: Tarikuseijuu (土の霊 大陸性重, lit. "Spirit of Earth: Continental Weight"): The Tsuchi no Rei: Tarikuseijuu is the first of four offensive applications of Muken-Ryu. It is based off of the Earth Trigrams of the Taoist Eight Trigrams. In the philosophy of Muken-Ryu, it represents the raw power and will of the Shinoda practitioners, equating them to the strength of the Earth itself. In order to perform the technique, a spiritual attack of some sort must enter within the Shinoda's circle of influence. If it does not, high-level practitioners can gather Reishi and Reiryoku from the air in order to perform the Tarikuseijuu. Once one of these two requirements is met, the Shinoda practitioner will brush their palm against their target. Oftentimes they will spin, as amateurs of Muken-Ryu need to do so to prevent the rush of force throughout their bodies from dealing extreme harm to themselves. The targets of the Tarikuseijuu are rarely afforded this same luxury. A sudden immense force, often composed of the power in their own attacks, is thrust into one of their Jinkei. The result is enough to kill almost any soul struck, as the damage to the internal organs literally breaks most of them to pieces. What makes this attack so potent is that the practitioner's own power is stacked on top of the redirected force, often increasing the strength of the blow five to ten times over. If desired, the practitioner can limit the damage, turning it into momentum that sends the victim flying backwards and through any object found. Those hit by any degree of Tarikuseijuu will find bleeding cracks and fissures along their bodies, the result of having a Jinkei forcibly rend open. Mizu no Rei: Gata Oyobanai (水の霊 型及ばない, lit. "Spirit of Water: Form Unattainable"): The first defensive technique created in the Muken-Ryu, the Gata Oyobanai is one of the most basic but useful forms taught to practitioners. Through using very slight muscle movements and steps, the practitioner creates two vortexes of Reishi within their circle of influence. Invisible to most, these maelstroms make it so incoming attacks, be them physical or incorporeal, are knocked off their path of trajectory and away from the user. Though strong forces, such as those of a Captain-Class, can penetrate the outer vortex, the reversed momentum of the inner vortex creates a powerful stopping force inches off of the Shinoda's skin. Described by some as an absolute armor, it makes it so basic techniques are useless against them unless the opponent is of a significant strength. Furthermore, high-level practitioners are capable of increasing both the strength of the outer vortex as well as the range of the inner vortex, allowing them to seemingly bat away spiritual techniques and stopping anything that touches their circle of influence dead in its tracks. Masters of Muken-Ryu often spawn cracks in the atmosphere that follow the flow of the vortex they are created in, though they rapidly heal after a few moments. Constant practice of the Gata Oyobanai is a necessity; it is the reason that high-level Muken-Ryu practitioners are able to sit completely still without experiencing a twitch. Kaminari no Rei: Kaminari (雷の霊 雷, lit. "Spirit of Thunder: Godvoice"): Second of Muken-Ryu's offensive techniques, Kaminari is the sole long-ranged ability in the traditional style. In theory, it is similar to the Tarikuseijuu. The practitioner will guide an incoming spiritual force and redirect it back at its target. In application, the differences are tremendous. Kaminari is the only technique in all of Muken-Ryu that prompts the Shinoda in question to make a direct palm thrust. This is because the force must be fired like a cannon from the palm. Reckless use of Kaminari is extremely dangerous. Its execution must be lightning quick, with no hesitation and less than a second between inception of the incoming Reiryoku and counter-fire of the same force. If failed, the limb used risks being broken, crumpled, or torn to pieces; however, the force Kaminari provides is worth this risk. When fired, the Reiryoku becomes an invisible, rumbling wave of thunder. The only way to know that it is coming is by the destruction of the ground underneath it and the sound of thunder growing louder and louder as it approaches. Those caught up in the blast have every Jinkei on their bodies struck at the same time, though the penetration is not as deep as it is in Tarikuseijuu. This more often than not leads to the breaking of dozens of bones in the victims body, as well as severe organ damage--however, death by Kaminari is uncanny at best. Masters of Muken-Ryu have been able to use weaker versions of the technique, guiding the force at range to create instances similar to telekinesis. Examples of this range from slightly pushing away someone to creating a vortex of rocks around the practitioner. A reverse flow is also possible, pulling objects to the Shinoda for convenience sake. Kaze no Rei: Kuupo (風の霊 空歩, lit. "Spirit of Wind: Void Step"): Kaze no Rei: Kuupo is a unique movement technique built off of the Gata Oyobanai. While techniques such as Shunpo, , or are meant to move the user vast distances, the Kuupo is far more subtle. The practitioner of Kuupo will gather guide Reishi and Reiryoku around them and then suddenly split it into a tunnel. This tunnel creates a vacuum with no pressure or resistance within it. Moving through this vacuum allows for the practitioner to reach supersonic speeds. If combined with one of the primary movement abilities, the sudden swiftness vastly exceeds anything a normal Shinigami, Quincy, or Arrancar can achieve. Like most Muken-Ryu techniques, it is dangerous if misused. Using the Kuupo for long distances is impossible unless an immense amount of spiritual power is wielded, as the body moving from normal pressure to zero pressure and then back to normal pressure can cause organ failure and decompression of blood, killing the heart and brain. Thus it is best used in a range no larger than one's own circle of influence. While most casters require a full arm-circle to create the void, high-level practitioners can flick their wrist to make the vacuum needed for the Kuupo. Hi no Rei: Tsuusan Jakka (火の霊 通算弱化, lit. "Spirit of Fire: Spreading Pain-like Flame"): One of the most sought after techniques of the Muken-Ryu, the Tsuusan Jakka is not meant to destroy or kill a target. Instead, it breaks them with an immense amount of pain. It is traditionally used when the practitioner wanted to ensure that their victim lived, but under Nobunaga it has become an ability that is used for torture or revenge against those whom have wronged the Shinoda. Starting out like the Tarikuseijuu, the Shinoda practitioner will guide the incoming force of the technique and redirect it. Combined with the practitioner's own power, it is then shoved into a Jinkei on the target. Unlike previous techniques, however, the Tsuusan Jakka is then spread throughout every breaking point on the victim's body, much like in the Kaminari. Each strike is extremely shallow, making it so that no wounds are born and no organs damaged; however, the pain is often described as being burned alive. Crippling in every way, it violently ignites the pain sensors along the foes body, and continues to trigger them again and again. Though the initial waves only last a minute, masters of Muken-Ryu can extend the effects for up to ten minutes at a time. Needless to say, this constant torture is enough to bring even some of the most hardened warriors to their knees. Yama no Rei: Manzan no Eiki (山の霊 満山の英気, lit. "Spirit of Mountains: Willpower of All the Mountains"): The greatest defensive technique offered in Muken-Ryu, the Manzan no Eiki is the pinnacle of defense offered by the combination of guiding Reishi and exploiting Jinkei. The practitioner begins by manipulating Reishi around them, often in a spin ending with a stomp. This literally fastens them into the atmosphere around them, making them immovable. Be it through gravity, strong winds, a tidal wave, or any other force, it takes a Bankai-level attack to so much as budge the Shinoda once they've become tethered to the world. Then, when an attack enters their circle of influence, they reach out to grab it before rapidly pulling their hands back. This turns the spiritual attack into raw power that makes the practitioner's attachment to the atmosphere even stronger. After doing this a few times, it becomes impossible for any amount of power to move the Shinoda from their position. Finally, the amount of power they build up around them is so tremendous that, when broken, it can be guided through any of the offensive forms of the Muken-Ryu. Those that combine the Manzan no Eiki with any other technique increase its power a hundred times over if the Manzan is used to its full potential. Seeing this technique used has birthed the idiom amongst rival clans "a Shinoda standing still is as dangerous as an erupting volcano". Numa no Rei: Junsui Reimie (沼の霊 純粋霊見栄, lit. "Spirit of Marshes: Genuine Spiritual Vanity"): The Reimie is a technique used by Sage-class Shinoda clansmen. It was created to represent the vastness and stagnation that occurs in a marsh or lake. Though many believe they know the truth of this technique, in reality every Shinoda member beyond Taiyohime herself is using a simplicity, bastardized version. The Junsui Reimie is the utmost pinnacle of Muken-Ryu, and is considered to be the second most powerful technique within the Muken-Ryu. While the original Reimie involves the practitioner grabbing the victim's head and numbing them through a pressure point, the Junsui Reimie involves none of this. Instead, the practitioner must place their open palm directly on the Hakusui (魄睡, Soul Sleep)--the source of spiritual powers--located above the target's stomach. Then, with a movement so subtle it seems to have never happened, the practitioner will pull back their palm slightly. This motion assumes complete dominance over the spiritual power within the victim's Hakusui. In the same motion, the palm is pushed back into the target's Hakusui. This sudden flow of power overloads the pressure point and spreads throughout the target's body. In short, they are disintegrated. The Junsui Reimie is an execution technique; it was never fully taught to the Shinoda due to Strahd's advice that such a power should be passed down once per generation. Therefore Taiyohime has never once in the long history of the Shinoda fully taught anyone this ability, and never has it been seen by anyone whom has not been executed by it. Ten no Rei: Reisentō Kasujin (天の霊 尖塔掠神, lit. "Spirit of Heaven: Spiritual Spire that Grazes God"): Just as the Reimie was taught in a bastardized form to the Shinoda, so too was the Reisentō. The Reisentō as it is popular known as is a technique that gathers up an incredible amount of power underneath a target that then spirals upwards into the sky. The reason the full form was never taught to another Shinoda is simply because Taiyohime had not yet completed it. Only once she perfected her own abilities, created the evolved version of the Muken-Ryu, and reached spiritual levels beyond the rest of her clan was she capable of utilizing the Reisentō Kasujin. In execution, it appears the same as the original Reisentō. The practitioner will create a massive pocket of spiritual power within their circle of influence. Once it is touched, it creates a blast that spirals out of control into the sky. While powerful, it is rare that this technique kills a target. Once they reach the apex of the spire, the killing blow is truly delivered. Following the victim with the Kuupo, the practitioner will create seven more pockets. These pockets explode into spires in all directions, sending the victim from blast to blast, before sending them into the utmost reaches of the atmosphere and than rapidly smashing them back into the ground. Though the Reisentō Kasujin has never been used on the field, Taiyohime believes that the second or third spire will kill the victim. If all eight are used, she further theorizes that there would simply be nothing left of the target's soul. Due to the requirement of using Kuupo eight times through all the spires, only the strongest of the strong could use the completed Reisentō Kasujin in battle. Muken Satorisoku-Ryu Muken Satorisoku-Ryu: Kaichōon (無拳 悟り息流 海潮音, lit. "Fist of the Void, Breath of Enlightenment Style: Sound of the Tide"): One of the two ultimate techniques of the evolved Muken Satorisoku-Ryu, it's power is equivalent to that of a Mastered Bankai-class technique. Only Taiyohime is capable of using it, as she is the only known practitioner of the Muken Satorisoku-Ryu. In execution, it appears extraordinarily simple. With an inhale she gathers up a vast amount of Reishi and Reiryoku. This amount is so incredibly large that it literally creates hurricane-force winds for hundreds of miles around her, pulling in all objects. Clouds above her form a massive spiral, and large trees and boulders are uprooted and caught up in her breath. Then, with a subsequent exhale, it all blows itself back out. The destruction the Kaichōon creates it without compare. No longer capable of being classified as a Hakuda or martial arts technique, it literally creates a crater miles wide in diameter, filled with the ruined and broken landscape birthed by the Kaichōon. Those caught in the destructive tides risk being torn apart by the winds, and if they survive, they must then face the thousands of tons of debris falling down on top of them. Muken Satorisoku-Ryu: Rōshōfutei (無拳 悟り息流 老少不定, lit. "Fist of the Void, Breath of Enlightenment Style: Death Comes for Old and Young Alike"): The second of the Muken Satorisoku-Ryu's ultimate techniques, and one that is also so powerful and outlandish that it can no longer be classified as a Hakuda or martial arts technique. Similar to the Kaichōon, Taiyohime breaths in a massive amount of Reiryoku and Reishi; however, unlike the Kaichōon, the power is drawn from the atmosphere hundreds of miles above the surface, and from the under ground dozens of miles below. In these two areas, untouched by any living being, the Reiryoku is incredibly pure, thus increasing its power hundreds of times over. When the exhale comes, a small bullet of this pure power is fired. Taiyohime always makes sure she is at least ten miles away from the target she aims at, removing accuracy. Luckily, accuracy is not needed for the Rōshōfutei. The moment it strikes something, it expands outwards for five miles, creating a vacuum. Then, in the same instance, it collapses. The explosion birthed can be likened to that of an atomic bomb. Expanding like a mushroom cloud, everything caught within the blast is destroyed down to a atomic level, creating more and more explosions. The full range of the blast is nine miles in diameter, and while the Kaichōon offers those caught up in the destruction a chance to live, the Rōshōfutei offers no such luxury. The shockwaves it creates extends outwards for hundreds of miles, creating powerful earthquakes and tsunamis. Never once has Taiyohime used the Rōshōfutei, either in practice or completion, as doing so, would bring the realm casted unspeakable and irreversible consequences. Known Practitioners Muken-Ryu *Strahd von Zarovich *Taiyohime Kuriyue Shinoda no Choujo *Kotsuzui Shinoda *Saitou Shinoda Kossetsu Muken-Ryu *Nobunaga Shinoda *Kotsuzui Shinoda Muken Satorisoku-Ryu *Taiyohime Kuriyue Shinoda no Choujo